Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County a month after a wildfire that burned 24 residences and more than 47 square miles of brush.

The governor issued the declaration Thursday for the so-called Powerhouse Fire, which destroyed 53 structures in rural northern Los Angeles County between its May 30 start near a utility station and its June 11 containment.

Kelly Huston, deputy director of the California Emergency Management Agency, says the move is required before LA County can qualify for federal emergency highway funds to repair roadways damaged by the fire.

Huston says it came a month after the fire's containment because road damages had to be assessed to see whether the wildfire area was eligible for the federal money.